Diabetes and diet

It's not sugar, exactly, it's carbohydrates. There are no carbs in meat. Well, actually, glycogen is a carb, but unless you're eating liver, there are negligible carbs in meat.

Green beans are great. Don't eat white vegatables - that would potatoes, rice, white bread, and stuff.

All food becomes glucose before the cells of your body can use food to help produce energy. Some foods become glucose faster than others. If a food converts to glucose fast and you eat a lot of it, it floods your blood with sugar. Your body needs to produce insulin in order for your cells to take in the glucose. The more sugar you have in your body, the more insulin is needed to deal with it. Eventually your pancreas can get worn out.

Any time your body is faced with too much of something in it, the substance becomes toxic and can start to wear down all of your organs.

Sugars obviously convert fast (there are other sugars besides glucose). Carbohydrates are a little slower, but not by much. Proteins, especially meats, take the longest.

Another factor is fiber - the higher the fiber, the longer the food stays in your digestive system and less often you feel you need to eat. Also, the longer the food is in your system, the longer your body has to suck out all the nutrients in it.

The best diet for diabetics or for people who may be on their way to becoming diabetic, is one that involves lean meat and lots of colorful vegetables. I think fruit is ok (lots of sugars) so long as you chose well and eat them in small quantities. Blueberries are supposed to be helpful to diabetics, bananas not helpful. Alcohol usually needs to be limited because it is a 'fast' carbohydrate (especially beer).

Yeah, fiber. If you are going to eat vegatables, at least try to find ones with fiber.

Some fruits are okay. Pineapple is terrible.

From the strict standpoint of blood sugar, alcohol is great. So great, in fact, it can induce hypoglycemia, at least in the majority of people with diabetes. If anyone is taking advice, hypoglycemia is not at all great.

Confused re the alcohol, roger.... how's that work?

I don't know how it works, but for most of us, it does. Others have reported that after drinking, they are unable to control glucose levels for several days.

I hope you appreciate my restraint. Usually when asked how something works, my stock answer is "Real Good".

<grin>. Thanks Roger.

From the Mayo Clinic online. This is the best explanation I could find.

Aha! Maybe everyone should have a little something to compensate for the potential drop in sugar levels. Pizza comes to mind.

But believe me, you don't have to be on medication to see sugar levels crash. Heavy exercise (which lowers muscle cells resistance to naturally supplied insulin) followed by a nice, stiff, relaxing drink can do it. I once saw 50mg/dcl this way, and the official point that is recognized as hypoglycemia is 70. This is a dangerous level.

I've definitely had sugar crashes.

Well - I never knew that about alcohol!

Yeah, right!

I think I may have lost Arjuna when I called white bread a white vegatable.

Ya there are few things need to avoid when your are diabetic patient but it can't be said diet, its just few things strictly not allowed.

Even if you are diabetic diagnosis, your whole family needs to make some adjustments, in patients with Combined with good eating habits, promote good blood glucose control and healthy lifestyle is the best defence on diabetic complications. Good news, this is for you and those around him.

I found the thread to be interesting, thank you for sharing your efforts.

Given that all of them are dairy products and have a lot of components in common, milk being one of them, let’s explore the pros and cons of these items for diabetics one by one.

MILK: Consuming milk directly, which if not toned or double toned, can be high in carbs and thus be a threat for a diabetic. Hence, it is advisable that you buy high protein shakes, that along with filling for the absence of milk and its taste from your diet provides the quintessential protein and weight loss supplements that a diabetic needs.

Milk is a staple of many diets, but its carbohydrate count can impact blood sugar, which might be a concern for people with diabetes. The "best" milk for a person with diabetes depends on the flavors they prefer, the rest of their daily diet, and their overall daily carbohydrate intake. For example, if a person aims to reduce their carbohydrate intake as much as possible, almond and flax milk contains nearly zero carbohydrates. All cow's milk contains carbohydrates, and it is important for people with diabetes to factor this into their carbohydrate counts. However, skim milk can be a lower- fat, lower-calorie option for people who are not lactose intolerant and prefer cow's milk. Lower-fat foods and beverages like skimmed milk might result in a higher blood sugar level due to faster absorption. Glucose monitoring might therefore be helpful to determine if and what kind of cow milk is best.

I came across this brand called NutraSphere through a friend of mine who suggested that I try their protein milkshakes because he found them very tasty and effective at the same time. He suffers from Type 2 diabetes and hence is taking supplements that help him keep his metabolism normal. These milkshakes can be consumed by anyone who either wants to lose weight, gain muscle mass or even fight the metabolic slowdown that accompanies Type 2 diabetes.

CURD: Low-fat yogurt naturally contains both high-quality carbohydrates and protein, making it an excellent food for slowing or preventing an unhealthy rise in blood sugar. Studies also show that a diet high in calcium from yogurt and other calcium-rich foods is associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. Certain curds, flavoured and the one with additional toppings to be precise, can be high in carbs. While studies show that a bowlful of yogurt can actually help you manage Type 2 diabetes, you must be very careful about the curd that you’re consuming, Here are a few things that you need to take care of.

1. Low Carbs: Always choose the low-fat variety of yogurt over full fat versions. Unsweetened, Greek-style yogurt is exceptionally low in carbs, which is very crucial for a diabetes diet. Eating too much of high-carb foods may surge the blood sugar levels.
2. High in protein: Yogurt is high in protein too. Protein and fibres take the longest to digest, giving you the feeling of fullness and preventing cravings. Hundred grams of yogurt contains 10 grams of protein, which makes it an excellent food for slowing or curbing unhealthy rise in blood sugar.
3. Low GI Index: Most dairy products have a low glycaemic index (GI). The glycaemic index is a relative ranking of carbohydrate in foods according to how they affect blood glucose levels. Carbs with low GI value (55 or less) are digested, absorbed and metabolised slowly and cause a gradual rise in blood glucose. Plain yogurt has a glycaemic index of 14.
BUTTERMILK: Considering that buttermilk can pack a huge punch of carbs, unless instructed by the physician for any reason such as aiding digestion, buttermilk is not a favourable dairy product for diabetics. Toned buttermilk would still have lesser carbs, but you definitely need to keep a watch on your blood sugar and insulin levels. It is advisable to avoid buttermilk as far as diabetics are concerned. If you’re a diabetic and wish to take something that is diabetes-compliant and aids digestion, you can go for milkshakes that serve both the purpose